To help students engage fully with each topic, we need to make sure that they are familiar with and can use the language of that topic.
Before:
How
Using Technology
Why?
Check prior learning
Introduce topic briefly – visual aids such as pictures or artifacts can help here to trigger thinking. Ask students what they know about the topic. Begin to create class brainstorm on whiteboard
Allow students to continue brainstorming in teams using Mindmeister Or get students to continue brainstorming individually in Mindmeister as homework and use this as diagnostic assessment – showing what students know now
Another idea is to use etherpad to gather class ideas. Students will need to work in groups of 3-4
Asking students to reflect on what they know about a topic helps: · Set the scene · Kick start surface and deeper thinking around the topic · Students to build on each others knowledge and understanding · The teacher to understand class learning and misconceptions · Students to focus on, use and understand subject specific vocabulary · By providing diagnostic or baseline data · To provide formative assessment · Show students where they are at and what next steps might be
Give students an entry slip as they enter the room, have new topic on board, ask them to write down what they know about the topic
Provide students with a K-W-L chart, get them to write down in the K column what they know about the topic
Key words
Talk about key words that are linked to the topic Set up a wall of words in the classroom that links to the topic being studied Use key word games as starter activities: Bingo, Matching exercises, crosswords, word finds
Begin to assemble key words with definitions on wallwisher For ideas on using wallwisher see: http://www.ideastoinspire.co.uk/wallwisher.htm Encourage students throughout the topic to add topic words that they do not understand. Any student can find a definition for the unknown word and add
Students need to have many opportunities to see and use key words in subject areas to familiarize themselves with them, to feel confident using and spelling them correctly
Key questions:
Teams of students can think about what is important to know about the topic. Ask – What do we want to know? Why? What can we do with it?
Can be added into Mindmeister brainstorm or displayed on sticky notes in classroom wall or/and added into W section of KWL chart
Develops the ‘big picture’ for the students and answers the ‘where are we headed and why’ questions they might have. Lets students understand what is important in the topic
To help students engage fully with each topic, we need to make sure that they are familiar with and can use the language of that topic.
Before:
Ask students what they know about the topic. Begin to create class brainstorm on whiteboard
Or get students to continue brainstorming individually in Mindmeister as homework and use this as diagnostic assessment – showing what students know now
Another idea is to use etherpad to gather class ideas. Students will need to work in groups of 3-4
· Set the scene
· Kick start surface and deeper
thinking around the topic
· Students to build on each others
knowledge and understanding
· The teacher to understand class
learning and misconceptions
· Students to focus on, use and
understand subject specific
vocabulary
· By providing diagnostic or baseline
data
· To provide formative assessment
· Show students where they are at
and what next steps might be
Set up a wall of words in the classroom that links to the topic being studied
Use key word games as starter activities: Bingo, Matching exercises, crosswords, word finds
For ideas on using wallwisher see:
http://www.ideastoinspire.co.uk/wallwisher.htm
Encourage students throughout the topic to add topic words that they do not understand. Any student can find a definition for the unknown word and add